republicans are saying they think the president actually wants to go off the fiscal cliff for political gain. take a listen. when i listen to the president i think the president is eager to go over the cliff for political purposes. additional tax revenue for new programs. he gets to cut the military which democrats have been calling for for years. and he gets to blame republicans for it. >> now, republicans are also skeptical of the short-term deal the president is talking about because it would leave spending cuts until next year. not deal with them now. republicans don't like the idea that some taxes would go up. meanwhile, the spends cuts wouldn't come until later. although democrats on the hill say the real reason republicans have not sealed the deal with the president yet is they just won't admit that he won the election. take a listen to senator chuck schumer. >> on taxes i know it's hard for the republicans but the president ran on that platform 250 no taxes below but taxes above. he won 60% of the voters said they were for it in the exit polls including some republicans. >> inde